Her Lifelong Dream

by Judy Kouzel

  "So?" Terry asked. "Aren't you going to tell me?"

  "Tell you what?"

  "Tell me about the idea you have for your restaurant?"

  "The idea?"

  "Yes," Terry said. "You said you were writing down an idea for your restaurant ..."

  "Oh!" She blushed. Something about being around this incredibly handsome man turned her brain into mashed bananas. "Oh ... um ... I was thinking about the open house I'd have after my restaurant finally gets started. A grand opening extravaganza."

  "Sounds interesting," he said. "Tell me all about it."

  "I would serve a buffet. A very elaborate buffet. With every dish on the menu and maybe a few that aren't. It would be a buffet like you've never seen before."

  "Yummy," he said. "It sounds delicious. But I don't remember you allocating for an open house in your start-up costs. How do you plan to pay for this, Miss Money Bags Collins?"

  "Oh, no!" she groaned. "You sure know how to take the wind out of a girl's sails, Mr. Black Ink Foster. We're not going to talk about money again, are we?"

  "Yes," he said, taking his fleece jacket off and slipping it over her shoulders. "You better take this. It's getting chilly out here."

  "Thank you," she said, feeling the warmth of the fabric. "Well ... of course I would charge admittance to the open house," she said. "But the idea of having a grand opening is to get as many people in the door as possible. The more people I can get to come into my restaurant, the better the chances they'll be back, right?"

  "Right. Will you serve wine?"

  "Yes, but I won't go crazy. Just a few special vintages I know of ... priced appropriately, of course."

  "Of course. How about desserts?"

  "So many desserts it would make your mouth water."

  "And you'll take all of that into account when you set the price for the open house buffet, correct?" Terry asked.

  "Correct," she nodded. "It will have to be a good price or people won't come. Maybe I could charge a discounted admittance price and include most of the open house costs with my loan application figures. Do you think the bank would approve something like that?"

  "The bank might raise an eyebrow," he said. "But they'd understand that establishing a client base is important to your new business. They'd probably go for it." Terry stopped, putting a hand on each of her shoulders. "Now you're thinking like a business woman, Leedy," he said, squeezing her arms gently. It was the second time he had taken her by the shoulders that way. And she liked it.

  "Well, I'm glad you finally recognize my business savvy," she said, beaming with pride.

  "Don't worry," Terry said, falling back into step beside her. "I've noticed your business savvy, along with all your other fine qualities." They walked on through the quiet night. "You should also talk with Jo Anne Phillips," he added.

  "I plan on it. Do you know her?"

  "Yes. I met Jo Anne when her husband came to the bank asking for help in starting up his dental practice. She has been a soccer mom for a few years, but before that she had fifteen years of experience as a restaurant manager. Maybe you and Jo Anne can ... What's the matter?"

  She couldn't help it. Something about Terry's expression as he talked made her burst into peals of uncontrollable giggles.

  "What's so funny?" he asked, defensively.

  "Nothing," Leedy said, trying to stop laughing. "I'm sorry . . . I don't mean to be rude."

  "Well, you find something hysterically funny," he said. "Come on, now. Spit it out. What is it?"

  "Okay," she said. "But you asked for it ... I thought, for a moment, that you were flirting with me, Mr. Foster. But now I realize it was only my imagination."

  "But I was flirting."

  "Ha!" she said, between peals of laughter. "You were too busy talking about business stuff, Terry. As usual. You can't flirt, because you have a one-track mind that can think of one and only one subject."

  "A one-track mind? Me?"

  "Yes, you," she said triumphantly.

  "What are you talking about?" Terry asked, an expression of both exasperation and delight on his face. They had stopped walking and were standing on the outer edges of the campus parking lot.

  "I suddenly realized that ever since the moment I first met you, you have talked about one thing and one thing only. Hence, my theory that you have a one-track mind."

  "You misunderstand. I have been a perfect gentleman," Terry said, inching closer to her. "And it hasn't been easy on me."

  "All the same," Leedy said, enjoying the warm feeling of his body so close to hers. "You do have a one-track mind. Unfortunately, that track is for business matters only."

  "Business?"

  "Yes, business."

  "Is that so?" he said, looking wounded.

  "Yes!" She knew they were both flirting shamelessly, but neither one of them seemed to care.

  "Business matters only?"

  "That's what I said."

  "That's a dirty lie," Terry said, moving closer toward her. His face was inches from hers. So close she could almost feel the end-of-the-day stubble on his cheek. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her gently to him.

  "It isn't a lie," she said breathlessly as she squirmed away from him.

  "Is too," he said. He was as close as he could be now, his face about to touch hers when, suddenly, a loud blast of a car horn sounded, making them both jump. The car horn blared again, and she looked up and saw a car in the far parking lot. An arm went out the window and waved, then the car pulled away.

  "Who was that?" Leedy asked.

  "Probably someone from the class," Terry said, frowning.

  "It is getting late," she said. "There's my car right over there ..."

  Terry led her to the Jeep. She pulled out her car keys and turned to him to say goodbye. "I'll see you in class on Thursday," she said and handed him his jacket. "Oh, and, by the way, you do too have a one-track mind."

  Terry stopped her from putting the key into the lock by pulling her close to him. He held her tightly for a moment, his breath warm against her cheek. "I do not," he whispered, soft and husky, into her ear. "And I could prove otherwise, Ms. Collins, if you have some free time."

  "Why, Mr. Foster," she said, with all the indignation of a compromised southern belle. "You may just have more on your mind after all." She opened up her car door and climbed in behind the wheel. "It is a pity that I'm your student," she said and firmly shut the car door. She rolled down the window and beamed at him. "I'm a big fan of protocol." She waved out the window and started the engine of the car.

  "Yeah, but it is only a six-week class!" he called to her as she drove away.

  66 Six weeks, twice a week-every Tuesday and Thursday," Leedy explained. "I can't believe I've already been to three classes! The time is flying by!"

  "Are you sure it's enough time?" Brittany asked.

  "Enough time for what?" Leedy asked, not understanding why her friend had a mischievous grin on her face.

  "Enough time to charm your professor into falling for you," she teased. "I know it won't take you long. But still, these things are not always instantaneous."

  "What are you talking about?" Leedy asked.

  "As if you don't know."

  "I don't know."

  "Admit it, Leedy."

  "Admit what?"

  "Admit you have a crush on the hunky banker."

  Leedy only rolled her eyes.

  "Liar, liar, pants on fire," Brittany taunted. "Come on! This is me you're talking to, remember? Don't forget, I'm the one getting married in one month. I understand exactly what you're going through."

  "Oh? Do you?"

  "Yes, I do. In fact, I understand it better than you do."

  Leedy raised her eyebrows. "Oh," she said, her voice suspicious. "Then tell me, She Who Knows All, what exactly am I going through?"

  "You're in the `Mr. Wonderful Is Not Supposed To Appear Until Step 28 Of My Master Plan. Therefore, I Am Not Really Falling For This Perfect Guy' phas
e," Brittany retorted with a smug expression on her face. "Except that you're falling for him, Leedy. Next comes the attraction/ attraction phase."

  There was a ring of truth to what her friend said, but Leedy didn't want to admit it. "What's that phase all about?"

  "That's when you both stop tiptoeing around each other and decide you're indeed really and truly falling for one another. That's when you both stop pretending and start to really enjoy being with each other. This is a great phase to be in! So admit it!"

  "Okay," Leedy said, feeling her cheeks turn pink. "I admit it! I'm a little bit attracted to him. Does it show that much?"

  "Only to the trained eye," Brittany said. "I had the same dopey expression on my face after I met Mark."

  "What dopey expression?"

  "That look in your eye! It's like ... like you're on Cloud Terry."

  Leedy blushed, embarrassed that she was so transparent.

  "It's okay to feel that way. In fact, it is wonderful to feel that way! So you see, Leedy, I know exactly what you're going through after all."

  "I'm not as far gone as you were over Mark."

  "Yes you are."

  "What makes you say that?" Leedy asked.

  "I can just tell," Brittany said. "Because I remember how I was. I was excited and happy, but at the same time, anxious. I couldn't wait to see him again, but I didn't want to be appear to be overly interested either. I had trouble concentrating at work and I sometimes forgot to eat. I found Mark creeping into my thoughts all the time, especially at night when I was lying in bed."

  Leedy was speechless. Brittany did know exactly what she was going through.

  "At least, that's the way it was for me," Brittany added. "At first, I tried to run away from my feelings for Markjust like you are trying to run away from your feelings for Terry. I pretended I didn't really care about him, except I couldn't get him out of my head. Whenever I saw him, my heart pounded and I turned into a quivering blob of pudding. But in a good way. It feels good to fall for someone. You'll see."

  "If you say so," Leedy said, trying to sound indifferent. "And you're cute when you get all squishy."

  Brittany shook her finger at Leedy. "Fine," she grumbled. "Don't believe me. You'll just have to see for yourself. Just promise me one thing."

  "What's that?"

  "Promise me that you will enjoy it, Leedy. It's going to be a wonderful ride."

  "Oh, mush!" Leedy said, rolling her eyes. "Aren't you getting a little carried away, Brit?"

  "No," Brittany said. "I'm not the one getting carried away. I've already been carried away. Now it's your turn."

  Leedy wrinkled her nose at her, but she liked the sound of that phrase-your turn. "Oh, stop."

  "No! You have a major thing for this good-looking, intelligent, charming, considerate ... oh, and did I mention he has a nice butt ... banker."

  "You forgot to mention his butt," Leedy said. "Not that I've noticed ..."

  "Yeah, right!"

  "Come on, Brit," Leedy said. "Terry hardly knows me. I just met him a few weeks ago."

  "That doesn't matter."

  "You're adorable. But you have wedding bells on the brain. And the banker isn't romantically interested in me. Besides, he's my class instructor and my former loan officer."

  "So what?" Brittany said. "When two people are attracted to each other, they find a way to make it work. Besides, a little bit of romance is nice too."

  "I don't have time for romance."

  "You don't mean that," Brittany argued. "You haven't had a date in too long! And it's been almost a year since you and Brian broke up."

  The sound of Brian's name brought Leedy back to reality, and her stomach dropped at the thought of her ex- boyfriend. "Thanks for reminding me, Brit," she groaned. "But between my job here at Mr. Hobo's, the night class, and trying to open my own restaurant, I'm so busy. Maybe after my career is more on track, I would like to see more of Terry, but ..."

  "We'll see," Brittany said, her eyes twinkling. "But, don't mind me, I have wedding bells on my brain."

  "Yes, you do," Leedy said. "But we better get back to work." She fake punched Brittany's shoulder and then went to the back of the kitchen and began to prepare some rolls for the dinner crowd. She spent the next hour working through her thoughts as she kneaded the soft, buttery dough.

  "I'm sorry," Brittany said, standing next to the long stainless steel table where Leedy was elbow-deep in her work.

  "For what?"

  "I shouldn't meddle in your business."

  "You weren't meddling."

  "It's none of my business," she said. "And you're my boss ... but you're my friend too." Brittany gave her a hug and Leedy returned it.

  "Forget about it, Brit," Leedy said. "You can say anything to me."

  "Thanks, buddy," Brittany said and she started to head out the door. She stopped, snapped her fingers and said, "Yikes! I almost forgot. I came back here to tell you that there's a lady in the dining room asking for you."

  "Who is she?"

  "I don't know, but I don't think she's a customer. I asked her if I could help her, but she said she'd wait for you."

  Leedy washed her hands, wiped as much flour from her black tuxedo as possible, and headed for the dining room wondering who on Earth wanted to see her.

  "I'm sorry to bother you at work," the dark-haired woman standing outside the big stainless steel swinging doors said. "I'm Jo Anne Phillips ... from class. Terry Foster suggested I speak with you."

  "Of course ... Jo Anne!" Leedy said, recovering. "It's great to see you again. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you right away. My mind was a hundred miles away."

  "That's quite all right."

  "I've been meaning to talk with you, too," Leedy said. "It's been hectic here the past few days."

  Jo Anne nodded. "I know," she said. "I wanted to catch you before class, but I've already missed one class and I was late for the other two. I was hoping we could get together and talk. It would be wonderful to have a conversation with someone who understands the difficulty involved with breaking into the restaurant business."

  "I would like that very much," Leedy agreed.

  Jo Anne Phillips looked to be in her late forties. She had short, curly brown hair and warm grey eyes. She was petite and slim and wore lemon yellow linen overalls over a bright orange long-sleeved T-shirt. There was a liveliness to her Leedy noticed right away-a kind of hyper-energy and confidence that belied her small size. She suspected that Jo Anne was a fireball and capable of accomplishing any task she set her mind to and she instantly took a liking to her.

  "I was hoping you might be free for dinner ... on me, of course," Jo Anne suggested. "I would love to spend some time talking with a kindred spirit. Can we get together?"

  "I'd love to," Leedy said. "And I insist on treating. But I don't know how much help I could be to you. My efforts, so far, haven't been what you'd call a success. I'm no closer to opening up my restaurant than I was five years ago."

  "We'll go dutch for dinner, and it looks as though you are running this restaurant just fine," Jo Anne swept her hand to illustrate the crowded dining room. "Are you free one night this week? Wait ... I have football and soccer practice to attend just about every night. This is why I'm having such a hard time making it to class! Could we make it Saturday?"

  "Saturday is fine. I'm working the early shift."

  "Wonderful," Jo Anne said. "There's an Italian restaurant on the corner of Market and King Streets. It's a lovely place called Antonio's. Not that this restaurant isn't charming, dear. I'm only assuming you may want a change of pace."

  "And how." Leedy sighed, and Jo Anne smiled knowingly.

  "I managed a restaurant just like this years ago," Jo Anne confided. "Coming in here, it was all I could do to keep from barking out orders as I passed the kitchen doors."

  "If you see anything amiss, you go right ahead."

  "I might, just for old time's sake. Is seven o'clock good for you?"

  "Seven
o'clock is perfect."

  "Very good then," Jo Anne said, shaking Leedy's hand. "I'll see you then." She smiled another ear-to-ear grin and walked away.

  "Who's that?" Brittany asked, as Jo Anne bounced past her.

  "One of my new classmates," Leedy explained. "Her name is Jo Anne Phillips and she's interested in opening up a restaurant too. We're going to meet for dinner and compare war stories."

  "That sounds like a wonderful idea," exclaimed Brittany. "It will do you good to talk to someone who shares your dream."

  "I think so, too," Leedy said. "Although Jo Anne may be my competition someday ..."

  "Maybe," Brittany said. "Or she could become a good friend."

  Leedy was deep in thought as she headed for the mall. For someone who crammed as much as she could into every minute of every day, her time in the classroom suddenly seemed woefully inadequate. Last night's class had zipped past her. Not only was she unable to talk to Jo Anne after class, Terry had slipped from the room with only a polite wave and a smile. Leedy was disappointed as all get out that he hadn't walked her to her car, but ...

  She shrugged it off. There was no point in letting small disappointments throw off her groove. It was her day off! A rare occurrence indeed, and she planned to make the most of it. She drove to the mall, all the while fretting over the fact that no one at Mr. Hobo's could prepare Chocolate Ecstasy Cakes properly. Oh, and there was that stack of resumes for a new assistant chef still sitting on her desk, waiting to be reviewed. Perhaps just a quick trip to the mall was all she needed. Then she might pop into Mr. Hobo's, just to see how things were going.

  It was a sunny Wednesday afternoon and, except for a few college kids, Leedy had the mall to herself. She needed to go to the kitchen shop and buy a new saute skillet and then she would pursue her never-ending search for shoes that were both comfortable and attractive. It had been ages since she had roamed a mall. She resisted the impulse to stop at the coffee bar for a latte. Maybe on her way out she would stop.

  "Leedy?" a feminine voice from behind her called. "Is that you?"